Binding-post.



H. E. LEPPERT.

BINDING POST. APPLICATION FILED APR. 2,1908.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

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JERSEY.

all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. LEPPER'I, a tizen of the United States, residing at New ritain, county of Hartford, State of Conecticut, have invented certain new and use- 11 Improvements in Binding- Posts, of hich the following is a full, clear, and exactescription.

My invention relates to binding posts for ectrical apparatus, and has for its object produce a new and improved binding post i which the conductors of the circuit may easily inserted and securely fastened.

It further has for its object to produce a inding post having the advantages of the ibular form, and in which the conductor clamped by a broad binding surface such s the head of a screw as distinguished from c point of a screw.

It also has for its object to produce such binding post in which the conductor can e readily bent around so as to be hooked pon a reduced portion of the clamping eans by force applied directly to the tip of 1e conductor.

The following is a description of my in ention, reference being had to the accomanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a switch base with incling posts embodying my invention one ing in section and the other in elevation. ig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is n enlarged end view of the same, Figs. 4: nd 4 show the blank for the stationary ortion bent and unbent. Fig. 5 is a modication in which the stationary part is made two pieces instead of being made of a 'ngle piece as in Fig. 4:.

Referring more particularly to the drawinding post is secured, such for instance as base of an electric switch. B is the staonary member of the binding post, one ortion of which has two walls whose ends re connected on one side and disconnected n the other. This portion is preferably ent into U form, and has a base formed by ationary member is secured to the base by rews passing through the base into holes the lugs.

C is a binding screw which, when the sta- 'onary member has a U-shaped part, passes rough a hole D in one leg of the U so that 1e screw-threaded shank engages a screw- Specification of Letters Patent.

gs, A is the insulating base to which the igs Z)Z2 projecting from each side. This UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENRY E. LEPPERT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 'IHE HART. MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW BINDING-POST.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

Application filed April 2, 1908. Serial No. 424,698.

threaded hole E in the opposite leg. The hole D is sufiiciently large to permit the shoulder at the base of the head of the screw to pass therethrough. As shown, the hole D is sufficiently large to permit the whole head to pass therethrough.

F is a conductor forming part of the circuit to which the binding post is to be connected. This conductor is passed directly through the hole in the base and up through the stationary member of the binding post within the space inclosed between the screw and the bottom of the U in the stationary member. It is preferably of such size that when the screw is screwed in it cannot escape ahead of the screw, but is necessarily clamped firmly by the head and the inside of the wall of the stationary member containing the screw-threaded hole of which the screw engages. By reason of the fact that the stationary member is open on one side, the end of the conductor can be bent sharply over and forced entirely within the stationary member, thus resulting in getting it out.

of the way, and also resulting in having it extend beneath a very large portion of the screw head. If the conductor is forced around far enough it will be located beneath substantially all parts of the screw head. Electrically connected to the stationary part is a contact member which I prefer to make separate from the stationary member and secured thereto. The form I prefer to use consists of two spring members G shown more fully in Patent No. 717,657 to G. W. I-Iart, secured in slits 9-9 in the same manner as described in that patent. These contacts inasmuch as they do not surround the stationary member do not close or bridge the opening at the mouth of the U, but permit the circuit conductor to be easily bent over. This form of binding post presents the advantages of great security, and great contact surface and permits of easy installation. I prefer to make the stationary portion from a blank such as shown'in Fig. 4 and bend it up as in Fig. 4:.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the stationary member is made of two parts, a lug bearing part II and a U-shaped part I which is secured thereto by prongs which pass through the holes in the lug bearing member, and are then upset so as to secure the two parts together. The binding screw bears the same relation to the U-shaped part as does the screw in F ig. 1. This form has the advantages of the form of Fig. 1 so far as the use is concerned, although in manufacture it requires to be made out of two pieces and necessitates different steps in its production.

I prefer to have the contact made with two legs as described, and also with one open side, as described, but various modifications can be made embodying my invention and possessing some or all the advantages of the structure above described.

What I claim is:

1. In a binding post, a stationary member having connected opposing walls, a screw engaging said stationary member and passing through both walls thereof, said screw having an enlarged shoulder passing through one wall and adapted to clamp a conductor between it and the inside of the other wall.

2. In a binding post, a stationary member having opposing walls, a screw engaging said stationary member and passing through both walls thereof, said screw having an enlarged shoulder passing through one wall and adapted to clamp a conductor between it and the inside of the other wall, the ends of said walls on one side being connected together and on the other side disconnected. 3. In a binding post, the combination of a stationary member having horizontal connecting lugs and vertical opposing walls, a screw engaging said stationary member and passing through both of said walls, said screw having an enlarged shoulder passing through one wall and adapted to clamp a conductor between it and the inside of the other wall, said lugs having an opening between them in line with the space between said walls for the passage of the conductor to be clamped.

4:. In a binding post, the combination of a stationary member having horizontal connecting lugs and vertical opposing walls connected thereto, a screw engaging said stationary member and passing through both of said walls, said screw having an enlarged shoulder passing through one wall and adapted to clamp a conductor between it and the inside of the other wall, the ends of said walls being connected on one side and disconnected on the other side, said lugs having an opening between them in line with the space between said walls for the passage of the conductor to be clamped.

5. In a binding post, the combination of a stationary member consisting of horizontal connecting lugs having an opening between them for the conductor to be clamped and two vertical opposing walls connected thereto and located on. opposite sides of said opening, said walls being disconnected at the top and at one side, and means for clamping the conductor against the inner side of oneof said shank between which the conductor can be clam )ed said stationar member havin I 7 u a a pro ect1on whlch, together with said opposing surfaces and said shank, 1ncloses a space on one side of said shank, said secur ing lugs having an opening for said conductor adjacent to them and in line with said inclosed space.

7. In a binding post, a stationary member having two vertical walls disconnected at their tops and on at, least one side and an unobstructed vertical passage between Sfllfl walls for the conductor to be clamped and also having horizontal securing lugs adja: cent to said passage, in, combination with means for clamping the conductor against the inner side of one of said walls, said means passing through both of said walls.

8. In a binding post a revoluble screwthreaded member having a clamping face larger than the screw-threaded surface, a stationary member having horizontal lugs between which is an opening for the conductor to be clamped and a screw-threaded portion engaged by the threads on said revoluble member and together with said rev oluble member inclosing a space on one side only of the axis of said revoluble member,

said revoluble member being adapted to.

clamp a conductor between said face and said stationary member.

9. In a binding post for securing electrical conductors, the combination of a stationary member having horizontal lugs between which there is an opening for the conductor to be clamped and two opposing walls, each of said walls having a hole therein, and movable screw threaded means extending through both of said holes and having a face adapted to engage the conductor and clamp it against the inner surface of one of said walls.

HENRY E. LEPPERT.

lVitnesses GERARD IV. HART, EDWARD TAYLOR. 

